Help Please..eu Wire Colours Maybe?-I Don't Want To Electrocute Myself

[planetdannii]

Hi all,

I hope you can help, I have purchased a security tagging system for my shop, I need to just wire it up as it had been cut free as such (they didn't unscrew the box).

So I opened up the metal 'box' and just inside is a junction box which the wires meet at. The only problem is I don't know which colours go to which.

Inside the metal casing the wires are red,black ( wrapped in some type of foil) & 1 wire free of a casing so just loose within the outer grey cable.

The wire on the security gate is black, translucent white(clear) ( wrapped in some type of foil) & 1 wire free of a casing. Now can I just pair up black to black, the free wire to wire & then the clear to red or am I missing something.

I have a feeling it could be a German machine, maybe their old colours & new colours.

These wires have been together in the junction box at some point but I don't want to risk it without asking for some advice as I'm a little worried.

The plus at some point has been replaced as they are the normal current UK colours.

Help appreciated please.

Thank you 

Dannii xx

 

[Technician]

How about some pics?

 

[Apache]

I've upgraded your membership so you can post pictures

 

[Andy™]

it may not even be 230v...

 

[Steve3948]

it may not even be 230v...

Agreed maybe fed via remote transformer.

 

[planetdannii]

Hi,

Of course here is a picture...

thanx

 

[planetdannii]

I think I'm going to put black to black & red to clear (white) I just hope I don't mess this up. Would it just fuse if I got it wrong? or would the metal 'box' potentially be dangerous do you think?

 

[Apache]

As a keen amateur electrician I don't say this very often, but would it be worth getting a pro in? You have a duty of care for your staff and customers.

If you wanted help swapping over a light fitting then all well and good.

 

[planetdannii]

; ( I can't et a pro in, I would if I could, hence asking on here.

To be honest when I purchased it it was never mentioned to me the the wiring was not UK. I was just told, to re fix the wire into the box.

I am asking the electrician who did my initial shop fit out to see if he can help or at least advise.

 

[Doc Hudson]

; ( I can't et a pro in, I would if I could, hence asking on here.

To be honest when I purchased it it was never mentioned to me the the wiring was not UK. I was just told, to re fix the wire into the box.

I am asking the electrician who did my initial shop fit out to see if he can help or at least advise.

To call something like this UK or non-UK wiring is a misnomer. The wiring regulations do not specify any colours for the internal wiring of a piece of equipment. You may be correct that just joining them up it will work. But it also may irreparably damage some component if an incorrect voltage or polarity is applied. There really is insufficient information at the moment, do you have any make or model numbers of the equipment. there must be some installation guidance or manuals stating how the wiring should be connected. Who did you purchase it off? do they not have any documentation? At a very minimum a test meter to verify any voltages would be needed. Do you have access to any test equipment? Where do the other ends of the cables go to are there any voltage designations at the other end?

Doc H.

 

[Andy™]

Would it just fuse if I got it wrong?

yes. along with all the internal electronics if you give it the wrong voltage... and then you will be out buying a new one

 

[m4tty]

Out of interest what are the USA colours of wiring?

 

[Technician]

Would this assist.

Wiring Color Codes : Color Codes - All About Circuits

I have had a quick look;  may meet his needs.

 

[ProDave]

Be VERY carefull

Black & White is the USA colours, and even more confusing I believe BLACK is "hot" (live)

So if that's the case it's probably 110V

I would not proceed with anything until you have found some proper technical data on the thing you are trying to connect.

EDIT:  Confirmed by link in post above, in the USA BLACK is live (they call it hot) and white is neutral

 

[Doc Hudson]

Is one of the cables the low voltage output from a power supply unit (transformer). I doubt that standard mains voltage connections would be left floating lose into a connector block like that without some form of cable clamp. Or if they are mains, it is a bit poor construction. Surely if they were mains powered each unit would just have some sort of standard 230v molded plug / socket connector, eg. kettle euro lead or similar to power them to comply with UK H&S and product specifications for equipment in use around members of the public. 

Doc H.

 

[planetdannii]

Hi All,

Thank you for your help so far, I know of course I can call an electrician but due to the expense & time I wanted to see if the forum could offer any help prior in order to get it up & running. (I bet it would have been simpler to open up my faulty one and fix that)

It's a checkpoint anti theft machine that was in working order a few weeks ago in another store. Now I just need to reconnect it (well I thought it was going to be that simple hence why I purchased it). I'm going to call Check point to see If I can get a manual for it. They have branches all over the world so I'm not sure if the machine is Uk or not as mentioned above. http://www.checkpointsystems.com/en-GB.aspx

The wire I'm talking about is the wire that goes from the gate in the picture into the box in the picture, there is a separate white power cable that comes from the box into a 3 pin plug which looks pretty new.

The lady I purchased it from doesn't know anything about it , she said she removed it and that was it.

As you can see in my first picture is not actually white, it's more a translucent clear colour.

I think after I have spoken with checkpoint I will have to take it to a professional after all. Thank you all thoug a damsel in distress was nearly saved but not this time 

thanx

x

 

[kerching]

I reckon it's a LV RS442 or is it 422 serial connection.

Looks like the Belden I used to install on shopfits.....single pair screened. Still got a drum in the shed somewhere

However, this is where my help ends as quickly as a bent politicians career, sorry.

I never did the final connections only threw the cable in

A bit of googling may be the answer